Dear Mark,
Another gaming columnist recently advised a reader that splitting 10s is
always appropriate when the dealer's up card is a 5 or 6. He was using the
advice of author John Scarne. You, on the other hand, recommend never splitting
10s in the standard version of blackjack. Whose advice is right? Bill S.
Incline Village, NV
Actually, I received this question via a telephone call from Bill, as we
both live in northern Nevada and had access to the same column. I must say,
I, like Bill, was surprised that the columnist used John Scarne as his point
of reference for blackjack hitting rules.
John Scarne's book, Scarne on Cards, was first published in 1949,
well before computers could analyze blackjack with multi-million hand simulations.
Consequently, since 1962 when Edward Thorp, the first blackjack specialist
using a computer (IBM 704), published his book Beat the Dealer, no
blackjack author recommends splitting 10s -- under any circumstances. Scarne
stands alone.
Also, since our conversation, I took Bill's question one step further and
ran a 20 million hand simulation test using a piece of software called BJ
Trainer. The results clearly favored leaving those 10s alone versus splitting
them against a 5 or 6.
Should a computer be trusted over a highly acclaimed author like Scarne?
Not always. I don't have a baseball bat alongside my computers ready to
inflict a mortal wound for nothing. But for crunching numbers to compare
the variables of blackjack, I'm in favor of using computer results over
advice written in 1949.
Dear Mark,
If you were limited to making just one bet in a casino and had a limited
budget, what would it be? Bo T. San Jose, CA
Too easy, Bo. Since one of my greatest passions is IndyCar racing, my one
wager would be on the Indianapolis 500, sitting in a sportsbook for three
hours sipping free cocktails and watching grown men (and woman, Lynn St.
James) making left-hand turns wasting methanol.
Since the general public may not share the same fixation for boredom, I
would recommend plan B, a pass line wager on a craps game. Three specific
reasons come to mind. First, it's a wager with a small house advantage (1.4
percent). Second, though playing perfect basic strategy at blackjack or
video poker drops that casino edge even lower, a pass line bet requires
limited (actually zero) knowledge. And finally, if you ask any craps player,
Bo, they'll tell you craps is truly the fastest, most exhilarating game
in the casino.
With low table minimums and a modest pass line bet on the layout, I would
agree.
Before I Shuffle:
I was asked recently on a radio interview if you could bet either the presidential
elections or the Oscars here in Nevada. Not anymore. Though you'll see odds
posted by Las Vegas bookmakers in nationwide newspapers, they're more for
amusement, not actual wagering. The Nevada Gaming Commission halted those
intriguing side wagers years ago after bets like "Who Shot JR"
were made by insiders knowing the eventual outcome. That's too bad. Just
think of the possibilities a sportsbook operator could offer. Like if Geraldo
Rivera mentions on his show that he's a former lawyer, bet six to win five.
Or that he finished 13th out of 364 in his law school class; here you might
get 20 to one. Then there's Rivera's evening talk show host counterpart,
Larry King. That he's from Brooklyn and people from Brooklyn are special
-- even money. Or that he and his guest "go way back." Lay 10
to win five. And O.J. Simpson. Did he....?
Got a question about gambling? Write to: Deal Me In, 774 Mays Blvd.
Suite 10, Incline Village, NV 89451 or e-mail:winners@winner.com
· To order Mark Pilarski's "Hooked on Winning" audio cassettes--laminated
win cards package ($12.95 plus $2. S&H) call (800) WINNERS.
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